PHOENIX, AZ., — One of the big decisions the Chicago Bears had to make was trading wide receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills this offseason. With a tough cap situation, the Bears had to move on from a few key players, including Moore.
They sent him to Buffalo along with a fifth-round pick in exchange for a second-round pick. The Bills had their eyes on Moore long before they acquired him as general manager Brandon Beane revealed on Monday during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" at the NFL's annual league meeting. He told the show that the Bills actually contacted the Bears ahead of the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline to acquire Moore.
But they were turned down.
"Chicago shut us down [at the deadline]," Beane said. "They were trying to make a run, but they knew there was interest and reached back out when we got to Indy."
Ryan Poles had an idea that he would have to move on from a player like Moore and reached back out to Buffalo at the scouting combine. That's where the conversation picked back up and a few weeks later, the deal was done.
With a strong wide receiver room in Chicago, the Bears felt like they could move on from Moore. But it wasn't an easy decision for the Bears to make, especially for Ben Johnson who discussed that at the league meeting.
"A lot of factors went into it. I love DJ. Shoot, I got a little emotional when the trade happened," Johnson said via The Athletic. "He came in and he made his rounds saying goodbye to the coaches and Ryan (Poles) and his crew. It hurts because I viewed him as one of the leaders. Yet the business is the business."
"We had to make some decisions in terms of salary cap and things of that nature. I think the best thing for him is, he's going to a great situation," Johnson said. "He's got a history with Joe Brady. I think he's very excited to play with another talented quarterback in Josh Allen. I think we're putting him in a great spot. I've been a part of some of those trades in my past where you move on from a guy and he's not necessarily going to a great situation. I'm happy for him. Yet I feel like it was probably the move we needed to make."
Moore caught 50 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns last season. The emergence of Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland as rookies gives the Bears strong additions as passing options for Caleb Williams. That likely made the decision just a tad bit easier.
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